New H-1B applications, including for FY2026 lottery, will need $100k fee: US FAQ document

All new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, 2025, including those for the FY2026 lottery, will require payment of the $100,000 fee, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had said in an ‘H-1B FAQ’ document released on Sunday.

The proclamation “requires a $100,000 payment to accompany any new H-1B visa petitions submitted after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025,” the FAQ document said.